For Blue stickers, the outright title

By Benjamin Singer

Daily Sports Writer

There didn't have to be any sense of urgency. The Michigan field hockey team locked up a tie for the Big Ten title and the No. 1 seed for the Big Ten Tournament with its win over Penn State last week. But even so, there was plenty of incentive to win.

There was the band and large crowd that created a loud atmosphere for the in-state rivalry with Michigan State. Also, two records were at stake: Michigan coach Marcia Pankratz needed a win to tie Patti Smith for the school's all-time record for wins, and one more feed would give senior Courtney Reid the new standard for assists in a season.

But none of those things was the driving force behind Michigan's 4-0 home win. It was the shirts and hats that the Wolverines received at the end of the game which read "2000 Big Ten Champions." And they didn't have to share the title with anybody.

Four years ago, the senior class experienced Michigan's first shared Big Ten title with Penn State. The Wolverines hadn't had a claim to the championship since.

The seniors knew going into yesterday's game that a loss and a Penn State win meant that the Wolverines would have to share the conference championship with the Nittany Lions again. But all they had to do was win, and they could keep it to themselves for Michigan's first outright Big Ten championship.

"To end on a Big Ten championship and to win it on your home field is special," Pankratz said. "The seniors are a special class. That class is really the foundation of turning this program around."

Michigan was so intent on not sharing the Big Ten title that the mentality carried over to the game, as the Wolverines did not share the ball with Michigan State. Michigan State didn't have a corner or shot on goal for the entire first half. Despite the Wolverines' dominance, they mustered just one goal.

"It was a tentative first half," Pankratz said. "I don't know if it was nerves or what."

In the second half, Michigan State got to play with the ball a little more. The Spartans managed three shots on goal. But Michigan increased its level of success as well, with three goals.

All four Michigan goals on the day involved seniors. Senior co-captain Kelli Gannon scored two goals and notched an assist. She had the game-winner in the first half and also scored on the corner that gave Reid her 23rd assist.